“We need to be
what it looks to others like we are.”
—Russell Roth
what it looks to others like we are.”
—Russell Roth
(said in his short-but-good talk at church tonight)
Up Close Around Here
Berry leaves.
Berries.
And a “berry” nice little boy named Jason Daniel Mullet.
blackberry leaves (or evergreen berry leaves)
What kind of berries are these?
our fourth grandchild: Jason Daniel Mullet
Ron Blue and Finances
Have you read any financial books by Ron Blue
Here are some of them:
- Surviving Financial Meltdown
- Your Money After the Big 5-0
- The New Master Your Money
- Faith-Based Family Finances
- Splitting Heirs
- Wealth to Last
- Your Kids Can Master Their Money
- HELP! I’m Drowning in Debt
- Storm Shelter
If you’ve read any of them, what do you make of Mr. Blue and his teaching?
A few years ago I read Master Your Money and was very favorably impressed by it. (Alas, I no longer remember any specifics!)
Right now I’m working my way through The Debt Squeeze.
Charged With Insulting Muslim Guest
No, not in Pakistan or Turkey or Egypt.
In Britain.
I know, I know — the story below is dated September 19. Old news.
But it’s current news because these folks’ trial is yet to come.
Christian hoteliers charged with insulting Muslim guest
Ben and Sharon Vogelenzang are charged with breaching Section 5 of the Public Order Act – causing harassment, alarm or distress. If convicted, they face fines of £2,500 each and a criminal record.
The Muslim woman was staying at the Bounty House Hotel in Liverpool, which is run by the Vogelenzangs, when a conversation arose between the hoteliers and their guest about her faith.
It is understood that among the topics debated was whether Jesus was a minor prophet, as Islam teaches, or whether he was the Son of God, as Christianity teaches.
Among the things Mr Vogelenzang, 53, is alleged to have said is that Mohammad was a warlord. His wife, 54, is said to have stated that Muslim dress is a form of bondage for women.
The conversation, on March 20, was reported by the woman to Merseyside Police. Officers told the couple that they wanted to interview them over the incident.
After being questioned on April 20, they were interrogated again three months later before being charged on July 29 with a religiously-aggravated public order offence. They appeared in court on August 14 and are now awaiting trial.
Amazing. In a sobering sort of way.
Here’s another article: Critics slam case against pair who ‘upset’ Muslim
Billions Without Bibles
Two dollars a day and no Bible. And without the ability to read one anyway. And how many of them have more joy than I do? So read this info and recount the blessings you have.
Two dollars a day and no Bible. And without the ability to read one anyway.
And how many of them have more joy than I do?
So read this info and recount the blessings you have.
Seven billion people in the world in two years
Half the world lives on less than $2 a day. Right now, that’s more than three billion people, but new research suggests the population will hit the seven billion mark within the next two years.
Researchers with the Population Reference Bureau (PRB) also found that the least developed regions, like Africa, Asia and Latin America, are projected to double in population by 2050. PRB, one of the most trusted sources for world population information, recently released these statistics in their 2009 World Population Data Sheet.
International Director for Faith Comes By Hearing Morgan Jackson said that these new figures are troubling because billions of people may never hear the message of hope and truth in God’s Word.
“Already, the world’s poorest of the poor are cut off from the Bible,” said Jackson. “Half of the world’s people are illiterate and too poor to afford a Bible. Five of six African believers will never own their own Bible. And when people don’t have Scripture in a format they can use and understand, the results can be devastating to villages and whole countries.”
[…]
“Small bits of Scripture may be the only truth they have. They just don’t know any different,” said Jackson.
“But modern technology is helping overcome centuries-old barriers of poverty, distance, language, illiteracy, and culture. For the first time in history, we have the tools to reach every person in the world with the Word of God — no matter where they are,” said Jackson.
One of these tools is the Proclaimer, a self-powered audio player that can be used in the most remote and rugged locations. The Proclaimer’s embedded microchip is pre-loaded with the Audio Drama New Testament in the heart languages of the world. Indigenous believers take these life-changing Audio Bibles into their villages and towns and start listening groups. Villagers in groups up to 300 gather around to listen and then discuss what they’ve heard. By interacting with the Word of God, people come to know and follow the God of the Bible.
Currently, New Testament recordings in more than 397 languages are being used in Bible listening programs in 150 countries.
Learn more about The Proclaimer.
I’m thankful to know how to read. In two languages. And to have Bibles in both. And to earn far more than two dollars a day.
Disclaimer: It appears the Mission Network News article comes from a post at the Faith Comes by Hearing site.
Brain-Altering Internet
Internet training can stimulate neural activation patterns. Searching online may be a simple form of brain exercise that might be employed to enhance cognition in older adults.
In a good way, apparently:
UCLA Study: The Internet Is Altering Our Brains
Adults with little Internet experience show changes in their brain activity after just one week online, a new study finds.
The results suggest Internet training can stimulate neural activation patterns and could potentially enhance brain function and cognition in older adults.
[…]
“The results suggest that searching online may be a simple form of brain exercise that might be employed to enhance cognition in older adults,” Teena D. Moody, the study’s first author and UCLA researcher, said in a statement.
When performing an online search, the ability to hold important information in working memory and to take away the important points from competing graphics and words is essential, Moody noted.
Previous research by the UCLA team found that searching online resulted in a more than twofold increase in brain activation in older adults with prior experience, compared with those with little Internet experience. The new findings suggest that it may take only days for those with minimal experience to match the activity levels of those with years of experience, said Small.
So there you are. Using search engines is good for your head.
That, and playing Boggle here. So go strain your brain here and here. And don’t forget the benefits of sudoku!
At Our Side Porch
We don’t use our front porch or our back porch as ports of entry.
Our side porch faces our garage, our outside parking, and our chicken house. So we use it.
If you stand at the north side, here’s what you might see:
looking northwest, kinda toward Woodburn
And at the south corner you might still find these:
Fuschias: looking fake; being real